Narasimha
Description
Narasimha (man-lion) is the fourth avatar of the god Vishnu, who manifested to kill the evil king Hiranyakashipu. According to myth, King Hiranyakashipu could be killed neither during the day nor at night, neither in an interior space nor outside, and neither by man nor beast.
Neither human nor animal, Narasimha emerged at dusk from a pillar at the threshold of the palace to kill the king. The liminality of this avatar of Vishnu is thus the source of his ferocious power. in picturing the god, Indian iconographers sought to create a form that defied the parameters of space, time and form.
He holds a conch shell and a mace in either hand which are attributes of Vishnu, as are the crown and the sectarian mark on the forehead. Narasimha is often worshipped for his unbridled power, and ritual prayers to invoke his terrifying nature to fight off demons. At times he is shown with his concert Lakshmi, whom he usually hold close in an embrace. In this bronze, she is shown held within his chest.
Collection
Sculptures
Object Type
Sculpture
Material
Bronze
Schools/Culture/Period
Nayaka period
Technique
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Date
1600-1700 CE
Location
Tamil Nadu
Dimension
96 x 46 x 31 cms